Surface Water Assessment

The Surface Water Assessment is a user fee for stormwater services in unincorporated Pinellas County, which addresses flooding, water quality and the operation of county-owned stormwater systems. The assessment is based on each property's impervious area, which includes all of the hard surfaces that do not absorb water, like parking lots and buildings. Impervious areas increase the amount of stormwater runoff, which is the cause of much of our flooding and pollution problems. The Truth in Millage notice contains the assessment on your property. Read the Frequently Asked Questions for an explanation of how the funding will affect surface water management. What does unincorporated Pinellas County Mean?

Adjustments are changes to correct a customer’s impervious square footage, either due to a change on the property, such as removing a deck, or to a correction made by the property appraiser’s office on the parcel’s square footage information. All parcel’s impervious area information is either obtained through the property appraiser’s office or through measurements of digital aerial photography

Mitigation Credits may be offered for properties that can demonstrate through engineering plans and calculations that they provide onsite treatment which reduces the burden to the County system. Treatment systems are required to be in compliance with the original site plan and properly maintained.

Credit Policies and Procedures Manual
The county has developed a Credit Policy and Procedures Manual that provides the details on adjustments and credits. This manual is intended as a guide for customers through the application process. For 2014 Tax Bills, the application periods runs from October 1 through December 31st, 2014. For 2015 Tax Bills, the application period runs from January 1 through April 1, 2015. In subsequent years, the application period will run from October 1 through April 1 for the following tax bill.

Credit Renewal Form – For properties applying to renew their credits (applicable to properties with credits since 2013) Must apply by April 1, 2015 for credit renewal.

We strongly encourage you get in touch with staff early in the process to ensure your application is complete. Please call (727) 464-8759 for assistance with applications.

Examples of assessments: residential

Examples of assessments: commercial

The challenges:

Failing Pipes:

24 miles of metal stormwater pipes in unincorporated Pinellas County are over 35 years old and are dangerously near the brink of failure.

Collapse of any section of the stormwater drainage system can impact roadways, drinking water pipes, sanitary sewer pipes, electrical and communications cables as well as private property.

Flooding:

The county’s network of drainage ditches and canals are maintained on a 25 year cycle. Some of these waterways are so clogged up with debris and sediment that the flow of water is significantly reduced.

Unincorporated Pinellas County Stormwater Maintenance Stats:

more than 323 miles of ditches

more than 390 miles of pipes

Poor Water Quality:

Over 70% of lakes, streams and bays in Pinellas fall below water quality standards.

The state of Florida and the EPA require that standards be met or the County could receive significant fines and penalties.

Poor water quality has a significant impact on our quality of life and our tourism-based economy.